debated in the wake of Princess Diana's death -- were also front and centre on Tuesday during a speech to the Hamilton Rotary Club.

William (Bill) Zuill, the assistant editor of The Royal Gazette said that "paparazzi''-style is not practiced on the Island and the daily newspaper does "not cover well-known people who are in Bermuda for private reasons.

"In the event that we find out a celebrity is in Bermuda and we know where they are staying, we will contact them and ask if they are interested in being interviewed or in having their picture taken. If they refuse, then that's usually the end of it.'' Mr. Zuill, however, did concede that if Princess Diana had been visiting the Island "I cannot tell you that...we would have left her entirely alone.

But I do believe our coverage would have been restrained.'' Responding to the chilling comment made by Princess Diana's brother that the media played an overwhelming role in the death of his sister, Mr. Zuill said that "when we blame the media... and when newspaper proprietors are accused of having blood on their hands, I think we should all pause for a moment and look in the mirror. We have, to borrow a well-worn phrase seen the enemy and it is us''.

He said that editors and reporters struggle each day at The Royal Gazette to make decisions each day about what should be printed. "We do not always get it right. Sometimes we print news or photographs which in hindsight we need not have done, and sometimes we hold back when we should have published.'' Regarding individual rights, Mr. Zuill said there is enough protection in the current laws against both libel and slander to protect a person's reputation.

But he said the issue of privacy could be superceded in cases where public figures have broken laws that they have sworn to uphold or were facing legal action because of a failure to pay bills.

Similar investigations, he added, could be expected in cases where a person finds themselves before the courts because of the media's responsibility to cover the judicial system fairly and impartially.

"I suspect that we are going to have to live in a world where people are protected from the excesses of the media by the existing laws covering libel and slander and the good sense of the media,'' he told Rotarians.

"In my opinion that means journalists using their judgment to give the public what they need in order to make informed choices about their lives.

"That means balanced political coverage so that voters are fully in possession of the facts and the differences between both candidates.

"That means in-depth and balanced reporting about the Government's actions so that the public knows what's right and what's wrong about its schools, its hospitals, its welfare system, its criminal justice system and so on.'' Responding to one question about The Royal Gazette's policy of publishing letters that were signed using pseudonyms, Mr. Zuill defended the practice as one that allows persons -- such as civil servants -- to express themselves without fear of reprisal.

However, he pointed out that it was up to the newspaper to ensure that the policy was not abused.

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